The Ritual
by Akiru13
Summary: In a last ditch effort to defeat Voldemort, Harry uses a ritual designed to harness the power the dark lord knows not. Instead of the desired result, he gets a couple of soulmates and gets flung back in time. Harry/Hermione/Fleur. TimeTravel.


Another fanfic…I've been off the scene for a while, recently been reading Harry Potter fiction and I'm addicted. Sorry for those hanging out for updates on my Naruto fics…they're on hold. After reading fiction with my two favourite pairings (Harry/Hermione & Harry/Fleur) I felt I had to make a contribution. It's a time travel fic. I have started about a dozen Harry Potter stories already, I've decided to post this one though. Enjoy.

I don't own Harry Potter.

*

"I am a merciful man! I shall allow you 1 hour! You may collect your wounded and dead! Before the hour is out I want Harry Potter! If he is surrendered to me I shall spare all your lives, if not, you will all die here tonight! One hour!" Roared Voldemort's across the Hogwarts grounds where, hopefully for some, would be where the final battle against Voldemort would take place.

Harry Potter was pacing in the Great Hall, wondering if he had to use _that. _Although vowing to himself that it would only be used in the most of dire situations, where he wouldn't be able to kill Voldemort by himself. While his friends would live, the emotional backlash could potentially split them up forever. Something he didn't want to happen. Of course there was the possibility all was as it should be and that nothing would change, but things rarely went his way.

He looked around the room at those that were left and waiting for his instruction. Hermione, worrying as always, no doubt trying to formulate some sort of plan. Ron, looking as white as a ghost, dreading what was to happen. Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour next to him. He was extremely appreciative of their help when they had joined their quest for the Horcuxes mid way. Their skills as curse breakers were of immense help. He had also got to know the two better and considered the two to be his closest friends after Hermione and Ron. He often wished 2 of the four would have been more than friends with him, but as they were both involved other people, he didn't pursue those thoughts.

Next to them was Neville, Luna and Ginny, all whispering about something, what it was though he had no idea. There was also Minerva McGonagall, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Charlie, George and Arthur Weasley. George having been killed earlier and Molly assisting with the evacuation of the younger students.

"Harry, we only have an hour. What are we going to do? The Horcruxes are taken care of…" She trailed off as if finally realising what was to happen next. "You can't face him alone!"

"Hermione…there's only one other option and if I can avoid it, I'd certainly rather do so. I'll happily go down if I can take him with me-"

"YOU will happily die, but what about us that are left? We need you Harry, don't throw your life away-" Hermione interrupted, but Harry was livid as he interrupted her own rant.

"Throw away my life? Is that what you think I've been doing? If I – as you so elegantly put it – throw my life away, other's have the chance to live. You and everyone else can go on with a happy life. I don't really have anything waiting for me, I don't have a family, I have my friends that I would happily die for if it meant they could go on living."

The females of the group were openly weeping as he made his proclamation. Hermione and Fleur sobbing almost uncontrollably. "'Arry, she is right. You can't throw your life away, we need you here!" Fleur said, trying to control her sobbing and trying to sound as stern as possible.

"Harry, mate. You said there was another way?" Ron asked. "Even if you don't want to do it…what is it?"

Harry looked down. Maybe he was being selfish in keeping this back. Perhaps he wanted to die, for the pain to stop. Perhaps he was holding back because he didn't want it rubbed in his face just how perfect Fleur and Bill and Ron and Hermione were for each other. There was also the possibility that things wouldn't go right, that they weren't perfect for each other and their lives would be destroyed. He must have spent longer pondering it than he thought as McGonagall asked. "Harry?"

He thought they at least deserved to know. "There's a ritual…I've altered it and added some onto it.."

"What ritual Harry?" Arthur asked as he looked at the boy concernedly.

"Earlier this evening…I discovered that I have part of Voldemort's soul inside of me.." There were shocked gasps around the room. "Therefore, I was an accidental Horcrux."

Hermione approached him. "Oh Harry…but, what does it have to do with the ritual?"

"I was getting to it." He replied, harsher than necessary. "Dumbledore and I thought that the power that Voldemort knew not was love. Over the past couple of years I've been researching emotional magic. Magic that is sourced purely by our emotions. Examples of this are the Patronus, which is powered by happiness and the unforgivable curses which are sourced by hate. I studied this branch of magic along with that which imposed some sort of presence upon another's body such as the Imperius curse.

"I didn't find any love based spells, but I invented something that might work. The idea is that I impose the strongest feeling of love imaginable onto Voldemort, who thrives purely on hate. I was able to push him from my head because of the love I have for my friends and I later discovered that it did some damage to his own self. I'm not sure exactly why it happened, but when my mother died, she sacrificed herself because she loved me, therefore casting a protection over me. It was this that saved me against Quirrel in my first year."

He was still pacing in the hall as he spoke. "I know I'm rambling, and it probably doesn't make sense to anyone else, but after everything I've read, seen and experienced, I know this will work. The only way Voldemort was killed last time was because of my mother's protection, and the only reason he survived was because of his Horcruxes…This time, there is no Horcruxes, if he were to be killed this way again he won't be coming back. I intend to kill him with the most pure of love. The love shared between soul mates. The love of a combination of 2 complete souls, joined by the only emotion he can't guard against."

The crowd was speechless so he continued. "His fractured soul would stand absolutely no chance against it."

"This is perfect!" Screamed Hermione. "Why were you hesitant?"

He stopped pacing, instead opting to sit on top of the Head Table. "Two reasons; first is that the chances of two soul mates being in this room are extremely slim. The second is that the ritual I have to use to find the two soul mates is a lost dark art. It was only sheer luck I was able to find it."

"We still need to give it a try Harry…but if it's a dark art, what…what makes it a dark art?" Hermione asked with fear and hesitation in her voice.

"It..requires for my soul to fracture, similar to the way in which a Horcrux is created-" Again there were gasps around the room. "-except that the portion of my soul will travel into each of the people that wish to take place in the ritual. At the end of it, we will know if it will work or not. This will be difficult to explain so try to listen carefully. Each people will see things differently when its complete. The people who took place in the ritual, will see everyone else who took part in the ritual, with a glow around them. Depending on the colour of the glow, depends on the relationship you have with that person. Is everyone with me?"

After a moment or two they all nodded. "The colour of the glows are extremely important and I'll leave a list on the table after we're done. A white glow around the person means you are neutral with them. A dark blue glow around them means you are unfriendly with them or hate them. A yellow glow means you are friends with them. Red means you love them and a strong gold colour indicates a soul bond. I'll explain what that is if and when it comes up.

"There is another reason I'm hesitant…When the ritual starts, it will discard all feelings that you have built in your brain with the people around you. This ritual judges your inner-most self and will reveal your true feelings. If, for example, not that I'm suggesting anything, but if Ron were to not truly love Hermione, and there was another that he loved, in which she loved him back, Hermione and Ron would come out of the ritual without romantic feelings for each other. If your inner-most desires show that you love someone else, when the ritual is complete..you will love that person. They won't be new feelings, they will just be surfaced. Also if you truly didn't like someone that was involved in the ritual, but acted as though you do, when you come from the ritual you'll find it harder to hide your dislike."

He stopped as he realised everyone was lost in thought. He couldn't imagine the thoughts that were going around the room as he spoke. This was no issue for him as he was not involved with anyone. He had firmly assured Ginny that there was no chance of them getting back together just before the wedding. He did however, have feelings for two others and was worried that either they would come out hating him, or that he would somehow interfere with their happiness.

"It's your decision, I won't hold it against you if you decide not to take part. You don't need to be involved with anyone, it's possible that someone you love or a soul mate could be in this room but you hadn't noticed it. We have 30 minutes left, but I need a decision in 10 minutes. Those who will be taking place need to meet me at the Room of Requirement as soon as possible. I will start in exactly 15 minutes, if you're not there I understand."

He left the room and headed up for the Room of Requirement in order to set the ritual up.

*

Meanwhile back in the room, the couples had moved to private areas to have a discussion. Fleur and Bill had moved over towards the Gryffindor table at the far end towards the doors to the grounds.

Fleur was crying miserably and Bill was looking miserable himself. He hugged her to his chest, trying to keep his own tears inside. After a few moments he spoke up. "We're not walking out of that room together are we Fleur?" Bill asked sadly.

"I-I'm s-so sorry…"

"Shh…it's alright…I think I've known for a while…I'm upset, but we'll still be friends right."

"Of c-course." Fleur said as she cried even more. She tried to apologise but Bill told her gently to shush as they walked off for the Room of Requirement.

Another Weasley and his 'girlfriend' of sorts were having not such an understanding conversation.

"So what if one person loves someone, but they don't feel the same way?" Ron asked as they sat on the opposite end of the table as his brother.

"From the page Harry left, it would seem that the relationship would only be that of friends because the feelings aren't returned. Ron…I'm sorry, I-"

"I thought you really liked me? I mean we're not exactly going out, but I think I love you…"

Hermione cried as Ron made his proclamation. "Ron, I-I'm so sorry, I love you, but..not in that way. There's-"

"Harry. Of course. I should have seen it before, of course. HAH, he's got everything I've ever wanted and the one thing I beat him to, he steals it from me anyway!"

Hermione was crying but managed to angrily ask "What do you mean beat him to?"

Ron laughed in her face, which didn't help her anger problem. "He's liked you since second year! You didn't even notice did you…hahaha, but in fourth year when I thought you looked alright at the ball, he backed off so that we could be happy together. I finally had it too, the one thing he didn't have and I got it…" He had a weird sort of look on his face which was a mixture of satisfaction and hurt.

Hermione slapped him. Hard. "I am not some prize Ronald, and if that's what made you like me in the first place I'm disgusted. Is that it? Did you honestly want to hurt both of your friends just because of your jealousy? You don't have the fame that Harry does, so what? Do you think Harry wants it? Do you think he wants his money? He has that because his parents DIED Ronald. The one thing he wants is what you have, a family! But he doesn't act like a jealous prat all the time! Grow up. I don't want to see or talk to you ever again."

With that she stood up and walked off hastily to the Room of Requirement, passing Bill and Fleur on the way who gave her a small smile for her telling off of Ron, something he needed to hear.

*

Much to Harry's surprise, pleasure but also displeasure, everyone he had spoken to arrived with minutes to spare. "Thanks guys, but I honestly didn't expect many of you to turn up, let alone all of you. We have a few minutes to spare…does anyone have any questions before we get started?"

"If we do see a red glow around someone, does that mean we have to love them, and will they love us back?" Asked Ginny.

"A red or gold glow will only be there if there is mutual feelings between the two people. No you don't _have _to love them, because you already do. The ritual doesn't create feelings, but reveals to you your true desires. Similar to the Mirror of Erised." He got a few puzzled looks from the crowd so he said. "A story for another time."

"What…what if it doesn't work 'Arry?" Fleur asked.

Harry looked at her sadly, he was hoping she and Hermione wouldn't turn up, it would have been a lot easier. "Then I hope I can make it to my old mate Tom before he starts destroying things." He joked trying to lighten the mood. It failed.

"Well, it won't hurt any of you, and I need you all to promise me when you see me in pain that you don't help me. We need to all get into a circle and hold each other's hands. Whoever has my hands needs to make sure that they hold onto them at all costs. We can't lose formation."

They all nodded and waited as Harry made his way to a large circle with various runes in different places. "Make a circle and make sure your feet are on the runes in the right places." They all did as instructed but Harry had to go around and tell everyone where to put their feet except for McGonagall, Bill, Fleur and Hermione who had studied Ancient Runes before.

He made his way over to his own place. He internally grimaced when he saw Fleur and Hermione on either side. _They have to make it harder for me…I wonder if they even notice what they're doing?_

He told them all a small verse they all had to chant together and proceeded to chant a verse of his own while trying to minimise the pain by using his improved control of his mind thanks to his occlumency training, and tried to stop his body from reacting to the pain signals.

It didn't work as well as he wanted it to, and couldn't help but spasm in pain as he felt the inner turmoil of his soul being split. He could feel Hermione and Fleur squeezing his hand in support as he struggled to continue with the incantation.

The runes glowed underneath their feet, but they tried to concentrate on their tasks rather than looking at the 'pretty glowing runes'. At different stages of the process, everyone turned to look at Harry and saw the painful expression on his face as he continued to chant.

The pain reached a climax for Harry and if it weren't for his previous experiences with pain, he surely would have screamed out. It felt as though a hot searing knife was separating his insides, slowly but surely, and all he could do was stand there and bear it. _'I'd be pissed if I went through this every time I made a Horcrux only for a bunch of kids to destroy them all..'_ Thought Harry absentmindedly as he continued to chant.

The first part of the process was complete, and the pain subsided with it. All he could do now was wait. He stopped chanting and the others followed suit soon after. After a minute, which was the assumed time required for the searching, he opened his eyes and looked around. There were definitely glows and some surprised him. There were a few gasps, sighs and contented faces and some, while some looked saddened or angry. He felt his gut turn knowing he caused it, but pushed it away using his former mentor's words. It was 'for the greater good'.

To Harry; Arthur, George, Bill, McGonagall, Kingsley, Ginny, Neville and Luna were all expectantly yellow. Ron however was a dark-blue colour which surprised him; it was something he filed away for later. The biggest shock that made him happy, sad and guilty came when he looked to his sides. Shining the brightest gold glow that he'd ever seen was both Fleur Delacour and Hermione Granger.

_Oh shit._

"A-Anyone?" Harry asked, nervously while also sounding tired. The ritual had taken more out of him than he thought.

"Nothing." Was chorused around the room except by Fleur and Hermione, who both squeezed the hand they had entwined with his own.

"'Arry-"

"Later. Bill, Ron, I'm…sorry things turned out this way. I'll talk to you both later, but now I need to finish this bastard off." Harry said as he turned to each for a moment or two. Bill nodded, seemingly accepting the situation albeit begrudgingly, while Ron didn't make any notion suggesting he heard what Harry had said.

"I need you all to go outside of the room and make sure no one gets in here. Professor McGonagall, you need to lead everyone in case this either doesn't work or it takes longer than expected."

When everyone had left and the door closed Harry faced the two of them and noticed their teary smiles. "I'm sorry…I really didn't want to do it at all…I-"

"I'm not crying because I'm upset Harry.." Hermione said. "..I'm crying because well…I love you Harry..I just didn't know how to tell you and I didn't want to hurt Ron.."

"Me too 'Arry…I didn't think you would feel the same way, so I did not tell you…But you do, don't you 'Arry? You love us too?" Fleur questioned hopefully.

"Yeah Fleur..Hermione..I love you both too."

He barely finished what he was saying before being crushed on each side for a group hug. He hugged them back just as tightly, tears in his eyes unshed. "Thank you." He murmured into their hairs.

"Sorry…but we need to get this done- Quickly look at each other while we're still glowing."

They did and gasped. "She's gold too." They both said.

"Ok..what we need to do is concentrate on our uhh..love," He said while blushing "for each other. We all need to be touching each other as we do it."

Fleur looked at Hermione and they seemed to understand the other instantly. They each put a hand on Harry's cheek and one on each others'. Harry blushed, not used to the sign of affection, but immediately followed suit.

They each concentrated on their feelings for each other. Fleur and Hermione exploring these feelings for each other for the first time, realising that they ran just as deep as their feelings for Harry.

The theory was if he concentrated on his connection to Voldemort, which unfortunately for him wasn't destroyed when he destroyed the part of Voldemort's soul within his own, and then forced these feelings of love through it should destroy Voldemort from the inside out. He focussed on the intent of what he wanted to do and didn't even manage to utter the small incantation before everything went black.

*

I'd like some feedback guys, it's my first HP fanfic so I want to know what needs improving. Read and review. Thanks.


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